Full-open easy-open container

ABSTRACT

A plastisol bead on the undersurface of a removable full-open easy-open central panel section of a metal easy-opening container end closure, adjacent and along a full-open score line in the central panel, to protect the edge of the removable panel section once the score line is ruptured.

O Umted States Patent [191 [111 3,891,1 16

Schane June 24, 1975 [54] FULL-OPEN EASY-OPEN CONTAINER 3,765,56110/1973 l-lekal et al. 220/54 3,809,283 5 1974 K h 220 54 [75] Inventor:Alvin Mansfield Schane, Elmhurst, e e

Ill. Primary Examiner-Ge0rge T. Hall [73] Asslgnee? f can P Attorney,Agent, or FirmRobert P. Auber; Paul R.

Greenwlch, Conn- Audet; George P. Ziehmer [22] Filed: Dec. 14, 1972 1 pp[57 ABSTRACT A plastisol head on the undersurface of a removable U-S- lfull open easy open central panel section of a metal [5 easy openingcontainer end closure adjacent and [58] Field of Search 220/54, 53,90.6, 270 along a fu|1 0pen Score i i the central paneL to protect theedge of the removable panel section once References Clted the score lineis ruptured.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,430,802 3/1969 LaCroce ct al. 220/54 1 Clam" 3D'awmg F'gures PATENTEDJUN24 I975 3,891,116

will!!! 7 I 4 44? FULL-OPEN EASY-OPEN CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to metal easy-opening containers, andmore particularly, to metal easy-opening containers whose central panelshave a score line-defined full-open removable section.

Currently, there is a demand upon the can making industry to providefull-open easy-open containers with safety edge features, which wouldprotect consumers from cutting themselves on ruptured full-open scoreedges, both along the rim portion of the central panel that remainsintegral with the container body, and along the periphery of theremovable full-open central panel section, upon full or partial openingof the container.

The can making industry presently provides container body side wallswith a safety feature in the form of a radially inwardly-protrudingannular bead underlyingly adjacent the central panel to protect the edgeof the rim of the central panel that remains with the container bodyonce the can is opened. However, the industry has heretofore been unableto provide sufficient protection of the edge of the full-open removedcentral panel section.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved full-openeasy-opening container with a safety feature which protects the rupturedscore edge of the removable full-open central panel section.

The primary feature of this invention therefore is an improved full-openeasy-open container wherein the improved safety feature is a plastisolbead on the undersurface of the score-defined full-open central panelsection, runningadjacent and along the full-open score to protect theedge of the full-open removable section once the score is ruptured.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is an improved metaleasy-opening container of the type having a full-open end. closuredouble seamed to a container body, wherein the end closure includes aperipheral countersink wall, a fullopen removable central panel sectiondefined by a fullopen score line adjacent the countersink wall, and anopening tab secured to the central panel near the score line so that thetab nose can rupture the score to leave a central panel rim portionbetween the countersink wall and the ruptured score, and wherein thecontainer body sidewall has a radially inwardly-protruding annular beadunderlyingly-adjacent the central panel to protect the rim edge once thescore is ruptured. The improvement comprises providing a plastisol beadupon the undersurface of the rim of the full-open central panel sectionadjacent and along the score to protect its edge once the score isruptured. The score has a land portion preferably about 0.001 to 0.003inch in length and the outer radial edge of the plastisol bead coversthe undersurface of the land portion of the score. Also, preferably, thethickest portion of the plastisol bead is radially inward of the scoreand is at least the thickness of the central panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the endclosure of a fullopen easy-open container of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantiallyalong line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing aportion of the full open removable central panel section removed fromthe container body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing indetail, FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical can C having a conventional top endclosure 10 having a full-open central panel 12 defined by asubstantially peripheral score line 14, a rim 16 which merges into anupwardly extending annular countersink wall 18 (FIG. 2) having a step 20and an upper portion 22, and an annular end flange 24 interfolded withthe upper end portion of container body C into a double seam 26 (FIG.2).

End closure 10 has an opening tab 28 secured to central panel 12 as bymeans of a rivet 30. Opening tab 28 is nonbendable and has a frontportion 32 at one end adjacent score line 14 and a handle 34 at theother end. The front portion 32 in this embodiment includes a webportion 38 having a U-shaped slit cut 40 therethrough which defines aflap 42 wherein is located the hole in which rivet 30 is secured. Themajor portion of front end portion 32 lies outside of U-shaped slit cut40 so that when handle 34 is lifted upwardly, the front end portion 32and the rest of tab 28 are free to pivot about rivet 30 to allow nose 36to rupture score 14, while flap 42 is held flatly against central panel12 by rivet 30.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 22 of FIG. 1. More particularly, FIG. 2 shows container bodyC having a side wall 44 in turn having a conventional radially inwardlyprotruding annular bead 46 spaced slightly below andunderlyingly-adjacent central panel rim 16. Bead 46 extends radiallyinwardly to a center line which might be drawn through score line 14, sothat when a consumers hand is entered into container C after it isopened, the bead will direct an abutingly adjacent portion of the usershand away from the ruptured score edge on central panel rim l6. Bead 48is downwardly sloped so as not to interfere with the downwardly arcuatepath of tab nose 36 during a rupturing of score 14. Bead 46 when slopedcould extend beyond the central line from about 0.010 to 0.015 inch. Inan alternative embodiment, bead 46 is closer to rim 16 so that it abutsthe rim and extends short of the center line to not interfere with therupturing of the score as previously explained.

Also shown in FIG. 2 is the improvement of this invention whichcomprises a plastisol bead 48 on the undersurface of removable centralpanel section 12 adjacent and along score 14 to protect the edge offull-open removable central panel section 12 once the score is rupturedand panel 12 is partly or fully removed from rim l6 and container bodyC. As shown in FIG. 2, the outer radial edge 50 of plastisol bead 48covers the under surface of land portion 52 of score 14 so that shouldthe score rupture with all or a portion of the land 52 remaining withremoved central panel 12, there will remain therewith a correspondingradial outer protective plastisol bead edge. Outer radial edge 50 shouldextend at least to the center line of score 14 or land 52, althoughpreferably it extends to the outer radial edge of land 52 or about 0.010inch therebeyond. The profile of plastisol bead 48 is shown assubstantially semispherical although it can be any profile whichprotects the ruptured score edge of the full-open removable section ofcentral panel 12. Sometimes bead 48 will have a more or less flatenedprofile due to drawing effects of the material. Preferably, the thickestportion of bead 48 is radially inward of the score and preferably is atleast the thickness of central panel 12, which for conventional centralpanels easy-opening end closures, is usually from about 0.010 to 0.020inch.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIG.2 showing score 14 ruptured and showing a section of central panel 12upwardly removed from container body C.

Providing bead 48 along score 14 according to this invention and asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 provides a broad blunt edge whose thickness mayinclude the thickness of central panel 12, land 52 and plastisol bead48, which combined thicknesses protect the hands, lips and other areasof consumers body which otherwise might be cut by solely the thicknessof land portion 52 of central panel 12.

Although FIG. 3 shows land 52 remaining integral with central panel 12after score 14 is ruptured, a portion or the entirety of land 52 mayremain with the fullopen removable panel section or with rim 16 oncontainer body C. In any case, the outer radial edge 50 of plastisolbead 48 will extend at least along the undersurface and sometimes beyondthe outermost score ruptured edge ofa removed section of central panel12.

Materials which can be employed for forming bead 48 are conventionalsoft, piable, sealant materials preferably foamed or highly filledplastisols although the bead could be any other strongly adherentmaterial having properties similar to those of such plastisols.

Highly filled or foamed plastisols typically are liquid dispersions offinely divided resins in plasticizers. The resins can for example bepolyvinyl chloride copolymers and the plasticizers esters of, e.g.,thalates, adipates and citrates. The plastisol materials containstabilizers such as stearates and organo phosphates. Fillers commonlyemployed for forming filled plastisols are silicates, sulphates such asbarium sulphates and oxides and dioxides such as zinc oxide and titaniumdioxide An example of a suitable foaming agent for forming a foamedplastisol is an azo di-carboamide.

Typical such plastisols are manufactured by Dewey- Almy Company, aDivision of Grace Chemical Company, and sold under the trade designation7] 17, or by M and T Chemical Company, a Division of American CanCompany, and sold under the trade designation MT 4657 and MT 4677.

Plastisol bead 48 can be employed in relation to container end closuresmade of any suitable metal such as aluminium, tin plate or steel.Although some plastisols adhere directly to such metals, usually aprimer coating is applied to the undersurface of the metal end closureto obtain proper adhesion between the plastisol and the metal. Typicalprimer coatings are either solution-vinyl coatings such as copolymers ofvinyl cloride and vinyl acetate, usually stabilized for example with anepoxy resin, or, organisols which are dispersions of poly-vinyl clorideresins in organic solvents such as aromatic napthas and di-isobutylketones. The solution-vinyl and organisol coatings typically includeadditional ingredients such as phenolic resins for adhereability, andfor example urea formaldehydes for flexability.

Top end closure l0,-container body C and opening tab 28 can be of anysuitable configuration or profile. For example, end closure 10 couldhave a straight, vertically downwardly-entending countersink wall whichmerges directly into a substantially horizontal or other profiledcentral panel. Also, score line 14 can be in the upper (exterior) orlower (interior) surface of central panel 12.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1 claim:

1. In a metal easy-opening container of the type wherein a full-open endclosure is double seamed to a container body, wherein the end closureincludes a perpheral countersink wall, a full-open removable centralpanel section defined by a full-open score line adjacent the countersinkwall and having a land portion, and an opening tab secured to thecentral panel near the score line so that the tab nose can rupture thescore to leave a central panel rim between the countersink wall and thescore, and wherein the container body sidewall has a radiallyinwardly-protruding annular bead underlyingly adjacent the central panelscore to protect the rim edge once the score is ruptured, theimprovement which comprises:

a substantially semi-spherical plastisol bead adhered to theundersurface of the removable full-open central panel section adjacentand along the score, said bead having its thickest portion radiallyinward of the score and at least the thickness of the central panel, andsaid bead having an outer radial edge which extends to but not beyondthe outer radial edge of the score land portion such that the bead doesnot interfere with the downward arcuate path of the tab nose during itsrupturing of the score, the thicknesses of the central panel section andbead which remains adhered thereto, in combination, providing a bluntedge which protects the edge of the removable panel section once thescore is rup-

1. In a metal easy-opening container of the type wherein a fullopen endclosure is double seameD to a container body, wherein the end closureincludes a perpheral countersink wall, a fullopen removable centralpanel section defined by a full-open score line adjacent the countersinkwall and having a land portion, and an opening tab secured to thecentral panel near the score line so that the tab nose can rupture thescore to leave a central panel rim between the countersink wall and thescore, and wherein the container body sidewall has a radiallyinwardly-protruding annular bead underlyingly adjacent the central panelscore to protect the rim edge once the score is ruptured, theimprovement which comprises: a substantially semi-spherical plastisolbead adhered to the undersurface of the removable full-open centralpanel section adjacent and along the score, said bead having itsthickest portion radially inward of the score and at least the thicknessof the central panel, and said bead having an outer radial edge whichextends to but not beyond the outer radial edge of the score landportion such that the bead does not interfere with the downward arcuatepath of the tab nose during its rupturing of the score, the thicknessesof the central panel section and bead which remains adhered thereto, incombination, providing a blunt edge which protects the edge of theremovable panel section once the score is ruptured.